Heddle bar lock for looms



May 14, 1935- G. F. BAHAN HEDDLE BAR LOCK FOR LOOMS Filed Dec. 19, 1933 Patented May 14, 1935 UNITED STATES `HEDDLE BAR Loox Fon LooMs George F. Bahan, Charlotte, N. C. Application December 19, 1938, Serial No. 703,139

13 claims. (o1.` 139-92) This inventionrelates to an improved heddle bar lock which is particularly adapted for use with heddle frames employed in conjunction with looms. t

One object of the invention is to provide a heddle bar lock which will be of such c onstruction that a heddle bar carried therein will be eifectually retained against undesirable lateral or longitudinal shifting movement, vbut which lock employs a latch member which willpermit ready disengagement of the heddle bar from the lock when desired.

Another object of the invention isto provide a device of this character which will be self-contained so that none of its parts will project laterally beyond the extremities of the housing employed. I

4 A further object of the invention is to provide fa heddle bar lock which will be extremely simple in construction but which will be durable in use over long periods of time without attention.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a heddle bar lock which will consist of but few parts.

And the invention seeks as a still further object to provide a heddle bar lock wherein the latch member will be formed with a jaw which will serve to urge the heddle bar inwardly so that danger of accidentalslipping of a heddle bar from the lock will be eliminated. 1

It is thought that other and incidental 'objects of the invention will render themselves apparent during the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein,`

Figure 1 is a front view of the lower portion of a heddle `frame with a number of myimproved heddle bar locks thereon,

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional View of one embodiment of my heddle bar lock showing the `type to be employed intermediate the heddle frame,

Figure 3 is a front elevation View of the heddle bar lock showing a portion of a heddle bar therein, Y

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, @j

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the latch member employed with my heddle bar lock,

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view showing a slightly modified form of my heddle bar lock,

Figure "I is a horizontal sectional viewtaken on the line 'I-I of Figure 8 and looking inthe directionlv indicated by the arrows, and i Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional View showing a form of the heddle bar lock employed at the endsl of theheddle frame. f

Referringnow more particularly to the accompanying drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate like parts throughout the PATENT FFIPCE@ several views, the numeral I indicates the bottom rail of a heddle frame, and .2 the metal end pieces thereof. Tubularconnecting pieces 3 are held in place in the end pieces by the means of'bolts 4.- A conventional heddle bar is shown at 5. My improvedk heddle -bar lock includes, yin one embodiment, a screw 6 which is adapted to be sunk into 'thewood of the heddlerail I and is formed with a rectangular upwardly extending head l. A slightlyenlarged base 8 which cooperates with the head 'I to Adei-lne a shoulder 9 is providedat the junction of said head and screw. 'Ihe head I is provided at its upper end with a at upper surface. i 1

Normally: tightly fitted about the rectangular head I of the screw 6 is a preferably tubular rectangularhousing which is indicated in general by the numeral I0, the lowerend ofthe housing being adaptedA to abut the shoulder 9 of the base 8 so that the outer surface of said housing will be normally in the same vertical .plane with the outer slu'face of the base 8. A smooth surface from the base to the upper extremity ofthe housing is 'therefore provided. It is pointed out that the head 1 projects upwardly vwithin vthe housing a suicient distance so as. to provide a substantial mounting therefor so thatl danger of accidental disengagement of the housing from the head will be avoided. Formed inthe housing at one'side thereof, which I shall designate as the forwardside,v is a substantially rectangular opening II which Ais ofva Aheight substantiallyv equal `to the height of a heddle bar to be carried within the'` device and of a depth equal to slightly over one-half the width of the housing; Formed in the walls defining the opening, at the junction of the upper edges and vertical rearV walls of said opening, arej alined circular notches I2 which are adapted to receive fthe upper edge of a heddle bar. Formed on the forward side of the housingvat itsl upper extremity and originally projecting above the housing is a lip I3, the purpose of which will be described hereinafter. In

order to retain a heddle bar' in proper. position in the housing, I employ Ia latch member which is indicated in general by thejnumeral I II. ThelatchL member is showny in ldetail ,fin Figure 5 of the drawing and includes a lowerportion I5 having a at lower surface I6,.and s aidlower .pore

i tion is formed with a tooth or jaw Il having inf clined sides IT which lower jaw cooperates with y in the housing l;however, the vertical portion i8 is of only a suicient width to extend to close spaced relationto `theegvertical rearwalls of the opening gli so that theheddle .bar`wi11 be per,- mitted to lie against theinner walls of the opening in close spaced relation to the forward wall of the vertical portion I3. Theupper portion of the latch member, which is indicated at"2,"is' formed with a finger-engaging portique-2|, which u jects above the housing to define a finger-en- 'gaging portion 35.' Atooth 36 on the latch and extends above the upperendlof thehoujsing I U .Y and is formed with beveled edgesefo'r manual en- As seen clearly in Figure ,-Zmof the drawing, the upper portion is out away at its for#l gagement.

ward side to define a lShoulder- 22S'. Aftei'f'the latch member has' been` placed-.within 4the housingthe lip I3 is bent .inwardlyflto overhang thel shoulder 22 so that i'tslower 'edge "willfbe' adapted to cooperate with saidshoulder22ffor'defining a stop. Thus, f upward movement of. the latch memberA will Vthereby vbe' effectually controlled.

Carried within the housing.and..located between the iiatr lower-surface lfofY the latch memberand the flat ruppersurface .of .the head i, is a spring 23lwhich serves normally'to. urge the latch member upwardly rwithin the housing.

The'spring'may be-'of the coiledutype asfshown, or maybe an S Shapedleafspring as shown at 1H in Fig.

As will be understood, this particular embodiment of my invention. is 'adapted for use interme diate therails ofI the heddle,frameiand,fafter`said device Vhas been screwed into'the rails,` aheddle bar is iirst inserted with itsupper circular edge extendinginto the alinednotches .i2 inthe opening i I and thelower edge is thenswung inwardly within the opening and engagethe inclined walls of .the .tooth ifi. for Yurging the latchmember downwardly against 'the .tension'fpof the spnring23.` As soon as.the.lower extremity. of .the heddle V.bar ,has passed over. the-point .of .the tooth or jaw il, thelatchmember will be'moved upwardly byv the A.tension of the .spring for clamping the heddle'4 bar tightly betweenY the groove i9 inthe `latch member and the notches I2 in thehousing. It -will be seen .that the heddle bar will be eifectually held iagainstlongitudinal or lateral sluiting movementwithin the heddle barY lock asltheutooth `will .effectually' grasp the lower edge'of the Aheddle bar and tend tourge it against the innerwalls'of the. op'eningxli.` 1

When it. is `desiredto release: the heddle bar vfrom the lock,.it is only necessary. to depressl the finger-engaging portion -2l'ior urgingathelatch member downwardly and freeing `the tooth-from the loweredge of the heddle bar f The lower edge of thev heddle bar maybe swung outwardly and then the upper-edge removed from the notches.

. The bar may ithen be completely withdrawn from the opening/Il... g'

Referring now tothe modificationof my in vention, as shownv in Figure l6 ofthe.y drawing,

I employV a'screw-24having a .stepped-head 25 l which is formed-with` a retaining lipv26 `'at the upper extremity-of the verticalcentralwall dening .the step'..'x',1h'e head 25'is .providedwith abasefl "which'isenlarged to denne a; shoulder 23. "A houslngj28, of substantially twicethe size "lf of the housing shown Iin'tl'iezzpreferred-*form of the preferred form, but the opening 29 is located f in a plane slightly lower than the plane of the opening 30. Lips 3l and 32 are formed on the upper extremity of the housing, at opposite sides thereof. Carried in the housing and adapted to overhang the lower portion of the stepped head 125 is a latch member 33 which is of the same general formv as the preferred form of the inventionybutl which is formed with an elongated upper portion. 34, the upper end of which proa notch 31- in the housing are provided for retaining a heddle bar in the opening 29. A spring 381'normal1y` urges the latch member upwardly Within the'housing and said-upward travel'of the-"latch member is limited by'the lip 3-I"en' gaging a shoulder 39 which-is formed by cutting away aportion of Vthefupper endlfof.theslatch member.. in.. the manners. identical with/that shown at 22 vin the preferred form ofthe invention. VThe spring y33 is heldin proper position beneath the latch member-by means of. a'depen ing lipy llwhichisformedzby extending downwardly,'forua slight distanca-the rear 'wallofthe latch member. A second latchxmember 4I.is carried within' thehousing 28.. and is .of identical construction with the latch memberbf the preferred form, but is disposedin an opposite direction to the latch member 33 and is disposed'ito receive and secure a heddle bary enteringgthe opening 30 in the. manner identical with the preferred. formof the invention. in ,this form ofthe invention, itwillcbeiunderstood that `two heddle bars may be supported by the sameheddle barflock and may-be individually controlled by simply. depressing the respective upper ;end.:por. tions. A spring 42 which is held in'placeat its lower. extremity by the angexor lip 26urges the latch'member 4I upwardly for, engaging the tooth vof Ysaid latch-member with theheddle b ar and eiectually retains vsaidheddle bar` in position in theopening 30. Aside from the fact Athatthe modified form of the-invention `provides mount-` ing means,v for two heddle bars, the operation of the invention is identical with that of .the preferredgforminevery respect. f

Referring now to the .modiiied form of the invention as shown in Figures '7r and 8, I employ a housing 43 which is of nearly identical construcftion with 'the-housing Ii).`v However, the lower heddle harlock of the type lshown in Figure e of the drawing, may be` employed, it being only necessary to Iuse the Lbracket having anyupstand-` ing portionlarge enough tov receive and i, tightly holdfy the double width housing employed in the structure shown in Figure 6t n i f' My heddle bar lock is characterized by extreme simplicity and durability inasmuch as 'y thereare butfew workingv parts thereto. It may be used over long periods of time without `atter 1tion. Attention is also directed to the fact that the device is very'c'ompact and will take up but a small amount of space on the heddle iframe.

It is thought.thatV the construction and operation of myy improved heddle bar lock will be understood from the foregoing description, taken in conjunction with the several gures of the drawing and :further description is, accordingly, thought to be unnecessary.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A heddle bar lock including a screw, a housing carried by the screw and having a lip, a latch member slidable within the housing and held against upward' displacement by the lip, said housing having an opening, and a spring carried in the housing and normally urging the latch member upwardly, said latch member being adapted to removably secure a heddle bar within the opening in the housing and being depressible against the tension of the spring for permitting release of the heddle bar from the opening.

2. A heddle bar lock including a screw having a rectangular head provided with a base, a housing carried by the screw and having a portion surrounding the head and terminating with its outer surface normally flush with the outer surface of the base, said housing having an opening, a latch member slidable within the housing and having a vertical portion disposed to align with the walls defining the opening, said latch member being formed with a tooth cooperating with the vertical portion for deiining a groove, a lip carried by the housing at its upper end and adapted to cooperate with the latch member for preventing upward displacement thereof, said tooth cooperating with a heddle bar for removably retaining said heddle bar within the opening, and a spring carried within the housing and normally urging the latch member upwardly, said latch member being depressible against the tension of the spring for permitting release of the heddle bar from the housing.

3. A device of the class described including a housing, a bracket supporting the housing and having an upstanding portion normally receiving the lower end portion of said housing, said bracket being formed with a lateral portion adapted for disposition between the end piece and a tubular connecting piece of a heddle frame, and means carried by the housing for removably locking a heddle bar against shifting movement in the housing.

4. A heddle bar lock including a housing having an opening provided with a notch, means mounting the housing on a rail of a heddle frame, said means being formed with a head, a latch member mounted in the housing, a spring mounted in the housing between the latch member and the head and being adapted for normally urging the latch member upwardly, said latch member having a tooth, and a lip cooperating with the latch member for preventing upward displacement of the member, said latch member being adapted to retain a heddle bar between the notch in the opening and the tooth whereby accidental shifting movement of the heddle bar will be prevented, said latch member being depressible against the tension of the spring for releasing the heddle bar from the opening.

'I ,B2i-'A1 heddle bar'lock `including' a screw, having a'frect'angula'r head, atubular rectangular housing having-fits lower portion tted about the head, said housing 'I having '11 a rectangular` opening formed in its upperend portion and'bein gffo'rmedfl 5' with-a lipat its upper end', a latch member slidably mounted within the .housing andhaving a linger-engageable portion cut away Yon its ior- Ward side masserie a shoulder, said up being being adapted for normally urging the latch upwardly for retaining a heddle bar within the opening against shifting movement, said fingerengageable portion being depressible for releasing the heddle bar from the opening.

' 6. A heddle bar lock including a housing, means securing the housing to a heddle frame, said housing being formed lwith a rectangular opening having a notch therein, a latch member slidable in the housing and having a vertical portion adapted to confront the opening, said latch member being formed with aI tooth normally extending into the opening in the housing and having inclined sides, and a spring carried within the housing and normally urging the latch member upwardly, the inclined sidesof said tooth being adapted for permitting ready passage of a heddle bar to locked position in the opening with its upper edge in the notch.

7. A heddle bar lock including a housing, al

housing, said bracket being formed with a lateral portion adapted for clamping between an end piece and a tubular connecting piece of a heddle t frame whereby the lock may be eiiectually mounted on the end of a heddle frame, and means carried by the housing and adapted for removably mounting a heddle bar therein.

8. A heddle bar lock including securing means having a stepped polygonal head, a housing carried by the securing means and having its lower portion surrounding the head, said housing having oppositely presented openings, and latch members carried by the housing and being oppositely presented for removably securing heddle bars in the openings. i

9. A heddle bar lock including a screw having a stepped polygonal head, a housing mounted on the head andbeing formed with openings, latch members relatively slidable within the housing, means carried on the housing for limiting upward shifting movement of the latch members, and springs carried within the housing between the stepped head and the corresponding lower ends of the latch members, the latch members being adapted to cooperate with the walls dening the openings for removably retaining a heddle bar securedl to said housing.

10. A heddle bar lock including a housing, means securing the housing to a heddle frame, said housing being formed with an opening delining walls having alined notches, and a latch member slidably mounted in the housing and having a tooth adapted to cooperate with a heddle bar for clamping a portion of said bar with its upper edge bridging the alined notches and its lower edge behind said tooth whereby shifting movef head polygonal -in horizontal cross section, a polygonal housing fitting tightly around the head and having a lateral opening to receive a, heddle bar, and means Within thehousing to engage and t retain the heddler bar thereinj 1 12. A heddle bar lock including a screw insertable in a rail and having a rectangular base and a rectangular head, a rectangular housing tting tightly around the head and against the base flush with the base, the housing having a lateral opening to receive a4 heddlegbar, and a slidable latch enclosed in the housing lto retain the vheddle bar therein.

13. A nadele-bar lock inciudmgan anchoring Y member having. a fiat-sided head, a flat-sided housing tting tightly around the yhead and having a lateral opening to receive a heddle bar, and a slidable latch enclosed in the housingand constructed topass around and engage a heddle bar and retain the same in the opening in the housing.

GEORGE F. BAHAN. 

